Hell in a car – the worst cities for driving

Owning a car, besides the added comfort and other beneficial factors, can often become a gruesome experience. Of the many examples we could give, here’s one – there are cities where commuting on a daily basis would make you go berserk.

The well-known Amsterdam-based navigation and traffic services provider TomTom has compiled its annual global traffic survey – which encompasses no less than 180 cities from around the globe.

According to the index, drivers worldwide eat up to an average of eight days of their lives getting stuck in traffic jams during their commutes – that’s just the time you spend without moving.

“The traditional responses to congestion, such as building new roads or widening existing ones are no longer proving to be effective,” says TomTom CEO Harold Goddijn.

The most congested cities, with the ranking based on actual GPS data, are measured by comparing the increase in overall traffic times during rush hours to the moments when traffic is free flowing. First place goes to Moscow (74%), followed by Istanbul (62%), Rio de Janeiro (55%), Mexico City (54%) and Sao Paulo (46%). The most congested metropolitan area in the US – Los Angeles, only comes ninth on the list – with a 36% increase.